Top New York Intellectual Property Team Joins Andrews Kurth

(New York, NY)—Andrews Kurth is pleased to announce that Gary Abelev and Paul D. Ackerman have joined the firm’s New York office as partners. Both lawyers joined Andrews Kurth from the New York office of Dorsey & Whitney.

Mr. Abelev represents a large number of domestic and foreign clients in a variety of areas, including patent litigation, contentious proceedings before the governmental agencies (International Trade Commission, United States Patent and Trademark Office, and others), due-diligence studies, patent portfolio management and procurement, negotiations/disputes and licensing matters. The majority of his practice focuses on medical imaging, analysis and therapy technologies, computer software and hardware, imaging technologies, semiconductor manufacturing, wired and wireless communications systems, material science, sulfur related matters, metallurgy, other electrical and mechanical arts, business methods and designs. Mr. Abelev also has significant experience in matters that involve trademark, mergers and acquisitions and copyright issues.

Fluent in Russian, Mr. Abelev received his J.D. in 1995 from St. John's University School of Law, where he was on the Dean’s List. In 1992, he earned his M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Polytechnic University (now part of New York University). He received his B.S. in 1989, also in Electrical Engineering, from Polytechnic University, where he was on the Dean’s List and received the Dean’s Recognition.

Mr. Ackerman focuses his practice on patent litigation, having represented clients in the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Texas, Eastern District of Virginia and Central District of California. He also has experience before the International Trade Commission. He has handled cases involving utility and design patents across a wide range of technologies, including Internet technology, biotechnology, cellular telephony, software, semiconductor fabrication and testing, mechanical devices and glassware.

Mr. Ackerman received his law degree in 1996 from Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center and his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the New York Institute of Technology in 1991.

“We are very pleased to join the expanding intellectual property group at Andrews Kurth, with the firm is a natural fit for our practice,” Mr. Abelev says. “Andrews Kurth already boasts a robust New York practice, and its intellectual property group has significant and notable representations in the intellectual property arena. Paul and I look forward to assisting our new firm in growing the New York office, the IP group and the entire firm.”

“The firm's growing New York presence offers us a unique opportunity to work with clients in the United States and abroad,” says Mr. Ackerman. “At the same time, it provides our clients with access to the firm’s impressive expertise in a wide range of practice areas under one roof.”

“These attorneys are extraordinarily talented,” said Bob Jewell, Managing Partner. “Their significant IP expertise will be well-received by our clients in all of our offices worldwide. We are committed to meeting all of our clients’ needs, and the addition of Gary and Paul illustrates our commitment to doing just that.”

As released by the former Andrews Kurth Kenyon LLP